Synthetic production of cyanogen compounds and the like.



J. E. BCHER.

SYNTHETIC PRODULTON 0F CYANCGEN COMPOUNDS AND THB LIKE,

APTLICATION FILED JULY24-1912.

1 fau s sodium -and nitrogen togetherfin areccpta-- JOHN BUonERfoF covENTRY, HonE-SLAND.

I 'sYNTHn'TIc PRODUCTIQN oncYANeeEN-coiifiroiiNns'AND THE LIKE.'

- 'Application filed July 24,

To'aZLufm/nnit 411mg/concern.: v l Be it known that'l, .loiiNvE: BUoiIER, a citizen of the United States, residui(r at Coventry, in the county of Kentandbtatey Y of Rhode flslaiid, have invented certain new andiiseful Improvements in Syntheticlroduction of Cyanogen Compounds vand the like, of which 'the .following visa `full, clear',

and exactl description. Y This invention relates to the, fixation o f nitrogenand more particularly to an 1mproved .process of, producing 'cya'iiogen coinpoundsand derivatives therefrom, together The process in with valuable by-products incident Atof-.the- Vproductionvof -such a compound or compounds. Q I questionis synthetic in" character and,`inf its`-pr eferrcd form, involves the direct' union ofthe elements forming, for example, alkali cyanids; to'fivit.A an alkali metal,- carbon Vand.-nitrogen. Attempts have A previously been inadeto etfectthis synthesis;v 'but practically none of them'have been indust rially successful.4 As 'an example of the saidfsyntlietic processeslinay mention that' 'of ll; Y. Castner', disclosed'in U. S. Patent No- 577,837, dated March 2, 1897, in which inolten'alkali metal was percolatedthrou'gh charcoal, heated to redness, in the presence. of a current of free 'iiiti'ogenf Robine and Lengleii, 'in their book-'ron the cyanid-indiistry Clercs translation) page 143, say: Cas'tners process, properly speaking, be# longs to that class of methods using atmos- A pherie nitrogen, the only one .to which the'.

vterin lsynthetic- `really belongs, but to '.oiiprknowledge ithas never iven results pcrmitting its use. industrially.

I aim, therefore, to produce among a;

.variety fof possible pr'oducts, commercially pure cyanogen' compounds with a maximum of efficiency. These and other objects of my invention will be 4 hereinafter-referred 'to .and

the novel process .and mean's'vvher'eby'tli'cy' may be1 attained .will bc'A more particularly foit-li -in the appended claims.

-; Cashier-evidently'believed that all'that wasnecessary if one desired to produce cyanid synthetically from free-nitrogen -was to bring;i carbon-e. g., cliarco'al, vinet-allie.

specificaties f Leiters ratat.

i peratiire conditions.

' Patidpea 3o, 1913. 1912. serial No. r"1i-,211'. A

according to 'his lrocessfseemito bei to pieventthe ingress o air, and to expose a large surface 'of the alkali metal (see C astners c laiiiis and 1ines-82'83'of`.page;1). ','He distinctly states thatif iron be present it is combine carbon, vfree nitrogen and sodiumand find that unless a catalyzr lie-present the direct' synthesis annotbe effected vto any' practicable extent. I have further. found that ironis one ofthe most, indeed if not the most, eiiicient catalytic agent vthat can be used iii.. this connection. v Further, Wood charcoal' (referred tQA ,in-.the said Castner p'atent) as ordinarilyobtain'ed, is a yeryimpure form of'carbon., lBesides the I'ash -invariably" present,A4 which is composed largely .of o xjygciif coinpounds,.there 'may be Aas .high as 14C/f of oxygen .contained in it, even though-it has-been heated to 1,0000 C. '(Roscoe and Schorleinmer, volfl', -p.V 592,-1877 edition).v This form of carbonis plainly not fitted .for *usel iii the' synthesis of Aalkali cy.- ands' \vlich involves the use o'sodium or 'potassi'uimfor example, in. free or molecular condition.' Theoxygen contentinivhate'ver forni, whether in the' 'charcoal as such', or. in combination vvi'th other elements las ash, will unite with Athe alkali metal, forming oxygen.

compounds such as oxids and vcarbo'na'tes,e, gZ 'sodium carbonate. .Sodiuin' ,carbonate gives little or no cyanid when heated with carbonand nitrogen" at Athe moderate red heat preferred for usc in connection Withmy process; and hen'ccnthat portion of the "alkali metal which-is thus united with oxygento form compounds is wasted under such tein-A I 'have-'become aware, as the result of an extensive series of experiments, that sodium carbonate may beconveited into sediu'm cyl anid and I have made application for patentA i` hereoii, said application'being designated S'crial No'. 726,924,1filed "October 21,1912,

` and entitled li-ocess for fixing atmosphericnitrogen. The present disclosure; however;l

is moreparticularly 'concerned-with that phase of the problem which involves the use of 'iiictal|ic -sodium.` or the like. -The latter permits of thc employment of relatively low tcn'ipciatui'cs. .whereas Avit-h sodium carcleyaiid the principaltliings-to be observed,

. lioiiatc, for example, a relatively higlicrteinperature'is required to combine the sodium of said carbonate with free nitrogen and carbon in .thepresenee of iron. -In order to permit of the use of these lower tempera,- ltures ranglngl from about an inclplent cherry-red heat (800` CL) down to-incipient red hea.t(52c C-.) oneven somewhat below. the latter, it is therefore desirable to use the alkali metal in metallic form rather than as an element ofa'cmnpound including oxygen as a'constitueutthereof,

It will be apparent-from the foregoing that it isdesirable when using alkalimetah in con-tradistinction' 5tg .alkali. metal com.-

pounds, for.the'ccoiomic production of al 'kali cyanids hy synthesis, to exclude oxygen from whatever source.'

The accompanying drawing` exemplifies oneof many tprins of apparatus 1n or b means of which my novel processmaybe e 'f ectuatetl.. I ain aware "however, that' various modifications-and' c langes 'maybe ina'de in both the process :and apparatus, within. the purview of iny'invention, and -hencedeffl 1 sire to he limited only by the scope of the-` claims appended hereto.

The apparatus 'herein described' is sub-l stantially thesame. as that described in my application relating to a Aprocess for puni. -fying metals, said .application having been 'inediti the United-.States Pat-,ent Office `Feb-'- lrury' 8,1912, and being there designated Serial-Number- 676,399.'

Referring 'to the`f` acizmpanying' drawing',

which forms a partjherpfand 'in vwhich like reference characters'deslgnate like parts inthe respective viewsQ'Figure l is ja'side lele- .v a'tion' of an apparatus whercinfmy process may bei carried out, tone side of themlesurrounding. the retort being removed for purposes of 1llustrat1on E -1g 21s a section provided at either extremitytherof'witha reducing'f-ap 2', `the reduced extrem-ities ofthese pipes beingrespectively connected to pipes 3 and 4, the latterbeing.preferablyl of considerably smaller diameter. than the section 1. A T 5 is connected tothe outer'ex-- r-eniily of the. small p ipeor 'nipple 3, 4'and a'- nipple 6 of the same diameter may be Atapped intov the opposite side of the T 5. l\ lipple 6 is connected co'clc Y, {vllicl} ii't'ui'n-JS connected to a coupling 8. .The nipple orpipe section 4 is also correspondingly con.

oneof whichis disposed upon either side'of the retort formed by the tube 1, are connect ed respectiicly with couplings 8 and 9 ini any suitable manner, while a U-shaped pipe connection l1, having therein a coupling '12 and cock 1?',atlordsJIby-pass around the retort. Downu-ardly extending troml the T' 5 is a pipe connection 14 havingtherein a cock in practice 'a e 15-and laterali)y extending from the T 10" is a connection 16 in'u'hich -is a cock l?. retort 1 may be heated in any suitable nian`- ner, as'by means of a SeriesofBunsen burners vIS `which for convenience niay lm niounted upon a common base l9 in a well knoun The manner.' A nudite or s creenl() of lire brick,

or the like, preferably having substantially -the Aform of an inverted U, iaysurrouiul theretort and 11s-burners. Suitable vents 21, for the escape ot' gases of combustion,-

and apertures Q2 for the admission .ot air,

should preferably be provided atv intervals 'alongr the length'oi the in ufile.- .\ssu ming' that iron is the catalytic material used. a suitable quantity thereof may he' disposed substantially in the middle ofthe -l'tort as indicated at I find inl practice i that ifthe-ironl be' tinelydivided, e. g.,

pulveruleut' or fibrous, ther'eactions are ef fccted more rapidly than if the said metal b e inhi'ger masses. The reaction, however,

maybe'made So' vigorous as to de-carburize course, the catalytic a ent is the-iron present in t. besteel. .I have a so successfully treated pig-iron herein.

.hor'nas hereinafter defs'cribed, m'ay be introduced .into theretort by unscrewing one .0f l f i thereducers 2, and I similarly. introduce at metal, c. g`., sodiu1n.- A

solid -niasses of. steel, in4 which icase, of'- Nitrogen is introduced into theretort viil.- n

apipe 24 which 'is comn'iunication.'with i the T10, upon the left-'hand vsideof the device, as shownY in Fig. 1; and if the cocks Tand 1'7 b'e-opened,'and cocks 13 and 15 be closed, they gaseous nitrogen will pass .th'rou h 1a cou ling 8 and connected parts directy-'into t e retort.'` 'Herein it is rapidly 'heat/ed" to' a" temperature preferably slightly above the; boiling point of sodium,

if that .bethe alkali metal used. As the hot' nitrogen passes loverthe sodium designated 225, the lat-ter vaporiz'esthereinto and passes,

together' with'the nitrogen, 'through op over the catalytic metal or material 23. The carfbon may also be sumlied by injecting hydrocurbons, y'. petroleum, through pipe24.

together with the nitrogen the Ause of such carbonaceous materials beingll 4hereinafter -more 'ullv discussed. 'In the device shown, 20 burners have been; 'somewhat "dia ammaticallyindicated and gru' of these at theextrenfiityofthe retort `from-Which the currentof ni# tr'ogen emerges, are unlighted Tous, for

example, 15 i as jets maybe ignited, and 5 burners may. e letfunlighted fa result.' i

the said extremity 0f the. retort from-which. -I l lthe nitrogen emerges'is cooler than other viously ltlovved therethrough.A understood -that before reversing the curviously portions of the same and i'spreferably at a temperaturebeloiv the boiling point of tht.` alkali metal, e. y., sodium. sothat any sotioned conditions, thtdemand for nitrogen.

is so great that a rapid stream of the same must be passed .into the retort, :is-the re dium'u'hieh passes through the mass, of eat- 1 alyt-ie. material iv'ill.,upon entering this relaf tively cool end vof the retort. le deposited.

This procedure results in alkali metal which accumulates in this relatively cool extremityof' the retort and is a saving ot thev actions lend to forni a partial vacuumv therein and it is necessary in suelr'case'to guard against a flou' of Agas back through the cock l. To this end a liquid seal 2G, or the like. may beprovided. lVith correctv piopor- .tions of atmospheric n'itrogemeaijboii and there held until the citi-rent Dt' nitrogen isi reversed, in the' manner hereinafter described.4 'l`he"iiitr.gen or ai'gn fu'hieh passes out of the apparatus should prefer- -ablytbe quite cool.

an "suitable manner to avoid waste su stantially all o-f the sodium, if sodium bethe lalkali metal eniployed, has-been' transferred' from one. end of' the retort to'lthe other,`the cocks' and l17 are closed and those designated 13`and l5 are"openedl 'Thereaterjthe nitrogen will pas-f; down- Aivardly frc'in T 1.0 and around a hy-pass 1l to T 10,'and thence. through the retort l in a reverse direction tothat in which it pre rent of ar, the burners 18,"whieh had' pre1 "een ui'ilighted are new lighted, and acci-responding number-at the'other 'e'xtremity of'the1 retort-are turned' ofl'.- -As a y 're'sult,the cool section or portion of the relatterto the ther,'so that the-previously;

t0rt. 1s reversed fromfone extremity of the deposited sodium, for. example, will be reevaporated and 'will again be carried through' or over the 'catalytic material, vby the nitrogen current, to be deposited' thereafter `at l the end of-tliejetort- 40 until substantially all of .th'e

peratuije of the -operation'the more-'rapid-the el'ectuation of the process'. ...There are, herw-V -evoi, limits'V beyond which it'u'ould be ungle-v In :operating the-apparatus herein particularly 'deseribed the -tempera'ture was maintained .by means lof the burners at fron/1 700 to 800 C. I have found,.ho\v ever, that where .the iron was in finely divided c'onditomnnd whcrethe carbon was l 'presentin proper proportion. to the iron,

and especial-l where tliesaideai-bon was in 'the forni o place 'so vigorously` graphite, ,the reactions took that some of the iron was melted into globules, which would indicate that the temperature of some. of the .i iron had-heen raised to the-neighborhood 0f 1200 C., atleast... Unde'i'theselas't menl ofv or contact andas it. passes ottlv through Athe cork 1T, it may be. collected in lt will be My ex-v sodium,4 in thetoregoing caseLand- .with theI iron actively present greatly in exeessvof the i* active carbon resei'it, the` small quantity of gas escaping'through the tube Qftivas practically pure 'ai-gon, substantially all of the nitrogen having lbeen e'ifeedily ahsorbedi, l

Argon may practically only-be,- obtained', 'of eourse,.fr oni ati'iiospieric nitroffen andI it is assumed that this latter hasy een ob'- tained byfseparating it from -the oxygen of the air by any suitable process, of which lseveral commercially practicable cries` are known to me. Where an excess of nitrogen passes through the apparatus, it may be lco1- lected and may thus beusedrepeatedly un'- til it has allbeeirc'onsumed. Should it `be found Iiii`pi'actiele that any -waste of.' sodium,

t'dijexaniple, is taking place, it -i's merely.'

-necessary to refrigrate by means, for example,.of currents of air) the extremity? of the retort -froin which the nitrogen flows,

vto such' an extent that the temperature of'the same Wilhbe 'materially below the boiling point oftliealkali mtal. Itrm'ayrbe heref' observed, too,that- 'it' is advantageous, in such case, to carry out the process under a pressure considerably above atmospheric.

This feature is'of especial advantage when .loo

the, nitrogen current must be forced through j the mass'of catalytic material,

After .many experiments and much research,'I have found thatA carbon suitable foruse. in this synthetic process of pirodncing 'alkali eyanids may alsobe obtained by heating impure carbon i'n the, electricffurnace. Itjs not necessary to carry the'tempei'atui'e 1n the electric furnace. so high as to' produce. graphite, ln fact, the. temperature required is only 'that suflieient to drive off-oxygen andoxygeii compounds including ash. Graphite. is, 'hoiveve'as I haveprevi ousl intimated, especially, available for use iii t 1e process. Many forins of lamp-black also, after beingr heated to a ivhite heat contain very littlevoxygeii and -ai'e"\\ell adapted for the purpose. -Carhon deposited by or obtained from the decomposition of 'hy- A di-Karhons at a red heatis alsol admirably suited for my process.

4 `Hydroearlonvapors, such as' those. oli- 'tained from lpetroleumoils, benzene, (Culla) or other `liydrocarhonsl substantially freev Itfis' essential.4 that an intimatemixture between the' alkali inetal, nii" iiogen` carbon, and the catalytic agent, be

y reduced iron, powdered iron, iron lil-ings,

iron turnihgs, or any -form of iron or steel l thereafter act as a true catalyzcr.

exposingr :i large surface; and to 'such 'iron I broadly-'apply the term finely divided lt may bc. heie noted that it is of great iniportancc I'hata 'relatively large quantity. of the catalytic metal be proridedin propor tion tothe quant-ity of carbon actively present. y 'lhe carbon maybe deposited upon the extended surface of the catalytic metal in a practically pure state and iii an excellent physical condition for use 'iii-tho process.

Moreover, under suitable conditions, the carbon maybe deposited-in a coherent for'in and'. will cling to the surface of the iron or.

steelthns allowing Athe cyanid'iormed tliere- -upon to' separate .from the mass vin a clean "condition practically free from suspended or injected'into theapparatus with t cyanid forming element.

carbon. l`lie'carb'on, howeverniay or mayl not be deposited. previously tol the' ii'itr'o'duc-4 tion of the alkali metal and nitrogen',as de'- A aired.` ,The 'hydrocarbon' vapor "may be passed over thelinelydivi'ded iron or steel e current of' nitrogen:` It is. not necessary to have the catalytic materia-l' e.- g., iron oi; S teel, present in finely divided condition: upon whicli'to deposit thc'carbon, or'i'n contact thereiyitligjalthough 'the formation of alkalicyanid i'sfmuch more rapid when the Acatalytic material is in such condition astopresentan extended catalytic .surface to the If. the apparatus is made of steel, or

.steel tui'nings or other Afinely divided .forms4 of steel are resent, the carbon of the steel is taken away y the alkali metal 'and nitrogen,

it'i' the form of alkalicyanidand' thesteel -ischanged to' substantially pure iron. The carbon combined with .the 'iron .in steel,

f scems-to be especiallyfwell suited toi-enter intol combination with alkali ymetal and .ni-

t'rogenA at the proper temperature.; but in' 'any event, the presence of' large amounts of 'timely-divided iron or steel-relative to 'the tuantity. of- .reacting 'substances present avors the `apid formation of alkali cyanid at; af-red lieat."' '1`he Aformation of' alkali cyanid, under the above named conditions, is so rapid 'that it is only .necessary to bring :i portion of the' mixture of carbongnalkali metal and nitrogen-into the frelatively. largeainount -of nely divided iron heated to aninci ien or ver low red '-lieatr, to effect an almost immediate reaction. The catalytic agent, e.- g., iron may .be pulveriz'ed or fibrous, land the' reaction or reactions are' effected with much greater rapidity under such conditions than when' possible.

resence. of a' the catalyzer is present in solidlthick masses.

0f course when the carbon is combined with' lliecatalytic element or material, as -in iron c:irl id,' the reaction eti'ecled removes thecarhon from the carbid and -leaifes the iron to The synthesis or-loriiiatioii of alkali l E.cient heat is 'developed thereb) to continue the reaction so loi i,f r as. the necessary ele- 'ments (alkali metal, carbon and nitrogen)- aie supplied. The initial temperature necessai-y iii-ay be attained by'externallyheating the reaction vessel, or b'y heating'a portion of tlieniixturein any. dcsii'ed'mannci to the proper temperature. On an industrial scale, if. external heatingr be' the-method 'iisedf it is desirable to-liavcithe Walls of' tlieieaction vessel as thin as practicable in order to, attain the. necessary internal temperaturc'as quickly andas economically as A(lare inu'st be taken to remove allI the oxy# gen gas from the nitro 'en used, becauso'any oxygen entering with t e nitrogen will coin- A'bine with the alkali metal, thus reducing by just soJinucliV the yield' of cyanid at the em'iplloyed.

e alkali ii'ietal may hej sodium, potassiuml or lithiuiii, or anyl mixture of these.

Litliium.- of.`eoiirse,pro dn ccs lithium cyanid, or'the'like, but -I prefer. to-use commerciali pure sodiuin,'or an alloy of sodiuin wit af heavy metal suc-li aSlead. .Lithium reacts with the elements carbon;I nitrogen and iron -I have not as yet Abeen alileto'ascertain whether .the-cata vti'c agent c. y., iron, is as necessary in. the case'of lithium' as with sodium or potassium;'but consideithat the catalv-zer 'is of value despitef the fact that .lithiuin foriris a ii'itrid, LiaN, which might then react with carbon-to.form-cyanich even in the absence of ironf Ifind that oiilieat- ,ing calcium to a'high temperature with nitrogen, carbon and ironi some cyanid is produced,' but Vthe 'quantity'.is inno wa to be compared to that produced by the fait of the relatively low and economical temperature 'alkali metals undergsiinilar conditions. lf

the elementsl entering .into 'the ,synthesis of alkali cyanide are'brou ht together underv 'pressure higherthan orv inai'y atmospheric pressure, the formation of oyanid is iastened and the capacity of the apparatusA is' increased. .If an alloy'of the alkali metal, as .for instaiice, leadfsodiim'i alloy,4A be used5 the sodium may be separated from the alloy the forni of vapor. the `latter being preferably obtained by blowing nitrogen-through the alloy at a suitable temperature.

The nitrogen used in the processmay be in any suitable manner as, 'for example, in

iio

obtained by any-suitablefprocess; as,-from '`ordinary combustion gases; :from liquid air;

` by abstractin'g the oxygen* from atmos- 4 p heric 'air by means'of metalsl'; as a.-waste i5 product,4 of certain chemical industries; etc.

If the i'iitrogen is prepared from 'atmosplieric air 4it, will contain approximately one. per cent: of argom'mixed with sinall quang titres of other inert gases such as helium, e

- kryp'toin-neon and xenon. which are. un-

-clianged bythe, process of'alkali metal' cy"" `axiid synthesis; and -said-,gases m'ay be ali -lowed -tofeseape from. the apparatusat a suitable point and. may be collected.in'.a

',15 suitable manneigfor use in 'h pure' -form. In my copeiltding application, Serial No.

a substantially sicle'red `:more particularly the decarburiza- The teinpQrature.oftlie-operatioh may in4 'i some cases range as". low as.5QO.'C., but as 4`this, 'temperature is approached the reaction is les '\igorolis`and so becomes' commercially '35 impractical, Onjthe other hand while the reaction -inayibe'l-efected 'at relatively' high temperatii'resj'seh ,for example. as clearorange heat, I prefer .to operate at.V a tiemperature of less than, Ictus-say, 11 0( C.,

4'0' owing to Athe diiliculty and `.co.' t ofoperating commercially forextended periods at higher fz, temperatures,- the costi of operation-including, 'of course, the'- initial cost'if. vthe apparatus used, the 11p-.keep -'--of the saine, and

the cost. of fuel'or electrical energy used for,

developing the operating temperatiire. j Owing. to the ex'othermie character of thereaction the reacting materials may effect',

an elevation of their own temperature in.

portions of the mass, bul as far .as practicable the hulk of the substances participatng in the formation of the product -sought are preferably maintained at a. tcmperature between the limits stated.

A'S to just what reactions and inier-reactions take place resulting in the carbon p'rescnt, from whatever sonrcc,'nniting with the nitrogen to form tlie radieal'CN, l ain unable to positively state. .\ppareiit'ly,'an iron GQA carbid, or, in some eases, a solution of car- 't bon" in iron, is i'sbformed, which carbid, or

solution,together with the iron -carbid al- `'ready present. il" any, then reacts with ni` ti-ogen and sodium, or like metal or clement G5 present wliievhis capable of forming the base of a cyanogeu compound wliichis ,stable at.' the.teuipei'atnre ot' the operai-ion, the ,iron l beingl eliminati-il from ilse compound or l compounds formed. ancl fne fiiieta-ll'ic iron I tli'ils produced being substantially pure. 'llie solution ot' carbon in; iron may, ,of l, euiirsebe eil'liei'insulid or molten form.v 'The `-foregoing. however. is merely my theory, and l do not' \v'isli. to belimited the-reto in an); way.

A"lie're tliefword i'eactioii" occurs. in the reet, cr-.tlie like. l-inlcnd it :to be underf.

i i claims, unless qualified bytlii` .adjective dil i 5 simple "or direct reaction liut'acomplex. ie-

action wherein possibly several subsidiary the several elleincntsY involved behave with l rcspcctto each other.- YVliere-the alkali. l'in'ctal.- fer example, is' used-in the forni of l l reactions occur; this provision being :olivii Stood that such teri'n'iioi 'only include-i il 'I i. i

:in alloy,I it is still to' be regar-dedans -i'n'gtliej free or unecin'biiied condition; being .uncombined' chemically gwliile' thisl Aterni ibvio'uslyl' i applies also to sodiiini'or potassiuinjvapor. 'i

and the like.; y i v- 'l`lie term iron is -to bc'ifcgardcd as of suilieicnt bieadtli'tocorer not only pure iron 'butV a'lso the iron preseiitin castjiron', steel, or the. like, since lduring the 'poration cast iron', for example, will speedily bedcprived |-of .its carbon, ljotli combined and uncombincd, and will bc coiive'rted'vt-osubstantially -pure iron, as ,described in @mv said -ii'pi'lical iron be inthe .form of pure iron and tlie carl petroleum or'graphitqo'r wlietliersteel or .with carbon.

in o rder iliat. tlicrcactioiis involved' may be :is `dii'ect, andl lthe production ,of tll.y

anbei-.as may lie commercially practicable. li`iii`ally,it `sliould be Stated that t'li'clieeim t described pi'oeess'is so ellieiciit; that the yield of cfraniil` i'pi' example, obtainable thereby Ais considerably in excess ol fifty per cent. of that theoretically possible.'v lndccd in Smile ln' other words, it is possible t0 fix -sllli'- not alone *the cyanogeii compound' sought, but'also substantially iiui'e. argon as a byproduct. Indeed, it. is possible to .guanti- `tion'Serial No. 67.6,@99: and whether-'thm cast' 'iro'il be. used as -tlfesource of4 the; cataly.- tic metal'aiid in'part at lcastiis the source ofcarbon,in either-case the iron may Iproperly be described' as being intin'iately associated "1-10' A s previously stated, itis advisable to cir-1Y eases lliisyicld closelyapproximates clu'de-oxyg'en from participation inthe re.- act-ionland l also deem itdesirable to, in like manner, exclude sulfur and .like "substances antigen compound as iruly synthetic iii chai' stantially' all oT the aliiiospliciiicniti'ogcn introduced into the apparatus and to. obtain.

tively icoiiibiiie substantiallyT all sodiuin,car

-bon and nitrogenintroduced into' the apparatas. provided that: proper conditions be observed and proper proportions ofthe cn- .i stitueiit eleni-eiitsof the eyano'gen. compound O-.ixiiitio'ii or in :any other desired manner.

I The -product. is quite free from sulds, ferroi ('Vaii'idsrand .the like when the' process is I 'l -staiitially freel from oxygen, andv c'arbon,-.

lVheii the 'source of carbon' is ahydro-v s rai-bou such as -petroleum oil' orbenzene, as

properly conducted.

preyiously,indicated,'it is possibletoopl eiate'the process very economically by-iitilizing the hydrogen given off from the reactfroiii the air, preparatory to repeating the.

A-`nitrogen, the' oxygeircombining of course' 30. witli'the hydrogen to v forni-Water.- The ni- '425f This equation representing nierely'.the

result 4rather than the possible successive steps which may be involved. Burning the hydrogen v with air,- wc obtain atmospheric trogen' which remains,- may then be utilized ".scribed.t

` Having described my invention, Iclaini -351 1. The "syiithetic' 'process oj producing cyanid which comprises veilecting a vigorous "cxoth'erniie reaction between. an alkali; iiictal .iii molecular condition, free nitrogen and carbon, ivhereliy to directly torni cyanid Ofl '4'0 said `;nietal, saidA reaction being effected throue'h the interinediacy of iron intimately Acomiiiiiigled ivitlns'aid"carbon, the iroii -act ing as a catalytic jageiit, said reaction to yield `at least fifty peicent. of the' yield 4S theoretically possible'froni the amounts of vcarbon. nitrogen and alkali inetal present,

the bulk ot lthe substances participating in said4 reaction -being heated to aten'iperatu're in excess of 500 C.. and less thanllOO" CLJ '2. The synthetic l'process of -producing an alkali metal cyanid' which comprises electf' ing a vigorous exotherinic reaction. between `free alkali iiietal; atmospheric nitrogen' substantially 'ree troni oxygen, aiidfcarbon,

" whereby to directly forrnsaid cya-nid, sai-dA reaction being'eti'ected through1-the inter- 'iiiediacy of. iron intimately eoininiiigled with sa'id'carboii, the iron acting as -a catalytic; agent 60 3.-'.l`lie .synthetic process of producing fi'n g ing mass to obtain a fi'eslisupply of nitrogen.

vvhereby t'o directly form said cyanid, said 6 5.

reaction being 'eli'ected tlirough the, interniediacy of iron intimately .comniirgled with v said carbon,- the 'iron acting asa catalytic agent, said-reaction to-yield atleast 'fty per cent. of the 'yi eld theoretically possible frointhe amounts of' earbo'n,"nitrogen and" A' alkali metal present.

4; The synthetic process of producing an' alkali metal cyanidA which comprises e ecting. a vigorous exotherinic reaction betweenv Afree alkali metal,vatinosphericfnitrogen Sub whereby 'to directly. forni'v said cyanidsaid reaction being' effected through .tha-inter inediacy of iron intiinatelycoxnmingled with said-carbon, the ironacting asa catalytic agent, said reaction to yield at least fifty per cent. of'tlie v-yield theoretically possible `from the amounts of carbon,'"-`ni trogen andi" alkali'nietalpresent, the' substances aitici'-` 'pating in said reaction being heatedpre'paratory to vsaid reaction' to a temperaturein ex- @CSS 0f 500 C. and-'flessitliaiij1100fCg -5.T li e syntheticprocessiof produc/indian I i alkali nietal cyaii'id which' coinprisesellecting 'a vigorous exotlierinic reaction' between free alkali metal,4 atmospheric-f nitrogen substantially free` from oxygemfand carbon, f whereby to 'directlyforinsaid-cyanid, said inediacy of iron ii'itiiiiatelycoinrningldwith i l said.' carbon, lthev. iron acting a atalyticp agent, the. substances participating y in' said/f reaction lbeingT li'ea'ted preparatory .'t

reaction to a temperature 1n excess o f o G. The' synthetic" process of producing'.

`cyanid which c oiiiprises effecting a vigorous exothermic reactionJbet-nieen an alktili' metaliii molecular conditioii,-.free iiitrogeii,and i carbon, v vhereby to directly "forni cyanid 'of said alkali iiietal, said reaction being effected; y

an extended surface in vproportion to,`the

volume of the saine,x said sur-face bein'g'inA 110 acting as a cataly/-icagenn-saidreactionto g intimate Contact with 'said carbon, the .iron

through the nterniediacy/of iron presenting yieldv at,Y least lifty per cent1. of the .yield I' carbon, nitr" the bulk of t thcoretic'allyos'sible' from? the amounts of v e'siibstances participating in en and alkali metal present,

said -reaqflon being-heated to a teii'ipeiziture l in excess of 500 7. .The synthetic process oi' producing an i prises effecting 'substantially "direct re-- with each-'otherand 'with iron', the latter 4:.i'ctingas a catalytic agent andinitially'heatj ing them to4 a temperature in excess 4 of .ing V'said substances into intimate`contact .10 ing| theiu to Aa temperature iu ext C.; the. carluziiaceous reagent' beingsnbstau- S. The .synthetic process 'o-f producing an alkali. metal- 'tiyantygcn coun-mund which comprises etfecting a .substantially direct reaction between atmospheric nitrogen. subing ,saidV substances .into intimato contat-t agent which'is'substantially freelfronioltylt'ietal.,.aiid a cailionaceous'rt-agent. b r bring with each other and-'with iron. the latter act- A"f-iiigas a catalytic agent and initially hcat- Z tti .'itlti" St. t'l-`lu\'.- \uthctic processA oPprod-uciug au alkali metal c ranoge'u compound which c oiuis prises etl'ecting a substantially direct' 4.reaction between atmospheric nitrogen: substanl -^tiall \free from oxygen. free alkali metal, ..a nd a earbonaceons reagent by bringing 'said substances, into intimate contact with. 20 each other and with iron, the latter acting as a catalytic agent and 'initially heating them to a temperature .in excess of 500 C.,

. sulfur being substantially excluded from -particip`atioii in said reaction.

2.5 10.' The synthetic process 'p'i'oducing a'iiA 'alkali metal cyanogen compound which-'coinprises effecting a substantially direct reac- A tion between 'free nitrogen, free-alkali metal. and a. ca-rbonaceous reagent, by'hringing 'said "ao'subst'ances into intimate-contact with ea'ch other and with ironthe'latter acting. as a 35 "ludwi from A.participation in"siiid reactionl 11. The synthetic process of Aproduciirg a cyanogen compound of sodiuim'whieh co'inprtses 4effecting a substantially direct-rea@ i' .tion between atmospheric nitrogen, substanl'- 4Q tiallyfree 'from oxygen, metallic sodium,

and .oarbomin the presence of iron, the'car v12.' '1`he synthetic process of reducing a .45 cyanogen compound. of. an a kali. metal,

which comprises e'tif'ctiiig a.' substantially disubstantially free from oxygen, the `alkali .metal of the compound sought, in free and 50 molecular condition, and a carbonaceous re- Y agent which Ais `substantiallyfree from oxy- (atalytic'agent.

13. 'lhe synthetic process ofproducin'g a "65 eyai'iogcnf.'compound of an alkali metal,

f which comprises effecting a substantially direct;v reactionbetween atmospheric nitrogen under p r'cssureand substantially free from oxygen, the-alkali inetal ofthe compound `60 sought,'in ficeaud molecular condition` and bo'ngiilso boiling 'substantiallyzfree from Oxy'-V reaction between atmospheric nitrogen,

' which comprises ctlt-ctinga. .subs-tai itiallyititifA i ret-t reaction between atmospheric nitro' en;

` -catalytejagent and'finitial'ly.heatittlicm substantially free' from oxygen. the l:il ysiii. i

inetal of lthe cotnptnind sought, in freea'iitl I gen. in the present-enf and 'intimately I tr contact with finely dirjded iron. the latter acting as a catalytic agent.

l5. -'l`he process of producing. a cyanogeu 75' compound of au alkali metal. which coin-4 prises eti'ecting an .exotherinie reactioin at 'a temperature above .7002 C in which the. elements nitrogen` iron', carbon, and the alkali'inetal of the compound sought..partici- 80 pate, the iron. actively present.' being inex cess of the actizie e'a'rbon' present and. acting :is a catalytic agent.

16. The process of producing a-'cyaiiogen compound of an alkali nietal, \\'hich.conig5 -prises effecting'an exotherniic reaction, from particitlation'iirgyhielroxygen is 'substaii- 'tially V. excludedfatn teniperature above 500' C., and inwhich reaction the elementsnitrogen, iron,-carbon, and the alkali uietal at) of the eonipountlsoight take partg'the iron actively present being inatci-.iallv inf excess o i the activefcarbon presentan gen being supplied in free 'and in` conditiona jfular .17.The synthetic process-ot producing n c` \janogen con'iponndlof analkali metalwhich coinprisesetl'ecting 'a substantialljtvdretfrel; action between atmospheric nitrogemfree alkalimetal and carb 'n in" the'preseneeof`1'0o `ir`on tlielast. two 'mentioned -elements being intimately associ'at'ed'initinlly and the iron actively present being irl-'excess of 'theactive carbony resent.' 1 18. e' process of obtaining a 'cyanogen 105 compound which comprises `passin ,a acura l rent of atmospheric nitrogen throng 'ii-'heat'' ed mass ofintimately' associated iron. ,and-v.:

carbon while said mass is' also iiico'ntact i with Vfie`1tlkiili metall-and elfectinga vig-- 110 -oroiis exothermc reaction between said sutil stances Awhereby to substantially directlyr Metal, and separating said compound -fr'om the residue of said reaction by withdrawing 1'1'5 compound of analkalmeta-l,whihconprise-lbeing supphed infre and molecular rondiefecting an exothermic reaction, from par- E tion.' l 10 ticiation in 4which oxygen is Substantially Irrwitness whereof, I subscrlbomy signa` exe ud'ed, and in whichreaction the elements ture, in thepresoncepf twowlinesses.

5 nitrogen-1 iron, :cal-bon, andthe alklmetal of JOHN E. BUCH ER.

. tlle Coinpoundsought take part, the iron ac. Witnesses:

tively present being' materially in excess of` lVgaLoo M. CHAMX, tho ative carbogzpresent andthe nitrogen i WILLIAM C. LARY. 

